Costa Rica into Gold Cup semis after beating Panama 1-0

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:43 am

Costa Rica players celebrate an own goal by Panama during a CONCACAF Gold Cup win on Wednesday.
Costa Rica players celebrate an own goal by Panama during a CONCACAF Gold Cup win on Wednesday.
AP Images

Costa Rica are into the Gold Cup semifinals after a Panama own goal saw Los Ticos win 1-0 on Wednesday night in Philadelphia.

Opportunities were few and far between in an uneventful first half, with Miguel Camargo's shot from distance the only legitimate shot on goal for Panama in the opening 20 minutes.

Giancarlo Gonzalez had a penalty shout waved off in the 23rd minute after being pulled down from behind following a corner kick and teammate Bryan Ruiz saw two late chances turned away by the Panama defense before half-time.

Both teams looked more lively after the break, with Armando Cooper blazing high and wide in the 50th minute with an impressive strike from 35 yards away.

Ruiz then tried his long-range luck and just missed in the 53rd minute before Marco Urena played him into the box with a lovely flick only for the Costa Rica No. 10 to be denied on the doorstep by Jose Calderon.

Patrick Pemberton made the save of the game for Costa Rica in the 72nd minute, with his quick reaction to a skipping Gabriel Torres volley and subsequent attempt from the rebound keeping the scoresheet clean.

Costa Rica was fortunate to take the lead in the 77th minute when Anibal Godoy inadvertently headed a whipped in cross past Calderon and into the Panama goal.